What service would have prevented this accident? No CTAF would be a good start, abbreviated circuit requirments...inbound, joining and base with intentions. on the way out lining up with intentions circuit departure followed by departure call to area controller. IFR in G is no different to what everybody had OCTA. So, before outbound made a lining up call they would have heard for the last ten minutes the interaction between area controller and inbound with inbound then broadcasting with intentions. If I was the inbound and heard the outbound calling lining up with intentions I would have called this by asking the guy to stay on the ground until I had become visual or over the aid which ever earliest. Outbound would have been delayed maybe five minutes at most. This was real IMC. call it training if you must but it is real IMC, the safety pilot aspect of the instructor becomes redundant.
AAA this is BBB 4500 10nm from the aid I am still IMC here for the VOR arrival what is your current vis conditions...BBB this AAA conditions look OC at 3500. AAA this is BBB can you hold till I am visual or over the aid.(..because this is what a tower would do anyway...)AAA, wilco.....OR....AAA lining up for Melbourne via VVVVV, AAA this is Melbourne, hold till BBB is visual or over the aid. BBB is reporting still IMC. AAA wilco
End of story, the world keeps turning and everyone enjoys a beer at the end of the day. Maybe the interactions between area and CTAF flipflop perfectly aligned with each individual call, one or both not monitoring the alt freq whilst broadcasting, outbound waiting to call area controller till airborne so not needing to get back on CTAF? who knows, end of the game was aluminium confetti. Everybody paid with their lives for what looks like a dumb procedure. JUST GET RID OF CTAF and remove the verbal diahorrea!